Battling Heart and Stroke

Looking forward to your second Olympics weekend? Be aware, though, that watching stressful sports events might just not be good for your heart. Happy reading!

CVD healthcare watch

Coronary CTA costs less than standard of care for triaging women with acute chest pain

Would you believe it, non-invasive CTA - short for coronary CT angiography seems to be cheaper than standard diagnostic care which consists of stress tests and cardiac enzymes screening - at least for women with low-risk profiles but acute chest pains. This is according to a report by the American Roentgen Ray Society.

CVD cholesterol watch

People with heart disease still have trouble controlling blood lipid levels

Researchers at the University of California at Irvine report that current cholesterol level management among heart disease patients is not enough to keep total blood lipid profile in control. It seems that it is not enough to lower the bad LDL cholesterol. Other lipids such as HDL cholesterol and triglycerides should be monitored as well.

CVD weight loss watch

Scientists identify another piece of the weight-control puzzle

Is it all in the brain? Neuroscientists at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston have identified that the neurotransmitter GABA may play a role in weight control. Read more about this research which will be published in Nature Neuroscience.

CVD nutrition watch

ViaViente demonstrates cardiovascular benefits in new human trial

ViaVente - this anti-oxidant product in the form of fruity beverage seems to show benefits to cardiovascular health in this new study in humans. The study was conducted by Bell Ventures.

CVD drug watch

Multaq (dronedarone) granted FDA priority review for patients with atrial fibrillation

The new drug application for dronedarone (commercial name Multaq) is now under priority review by the US FDA. Dronedarone is indicated for the treatment of atrial fibrillation or flutter. It has been developed by the French pharmaceutical company sanofi-aventis. According to the company’s press release:

“Atrial fibrillation is a major cause of hospitalisation and mortality and affects about 2.5 million people in the United States, as well as 4.5 million people in the European Union and is emerging as a growing public health concern due to an aging population. Patients suffering from atrial fibrillation have twice the risk of death, an increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular complications, including congestive heart failure. Furthermore atrial fibrillation considerably impairs patients’ lives, mainly because of their inability to perform normal daily activities due to complaints of palpitations, chest pain, dyspnoea, fatigue or light-headedness.“

 CVD pollution watch

Air pollution damages more than lungs: Heart and blood vessels suffer too

Right in the wake of the Beijing Olympics, California researchers will publish in the August  issue Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) an article that reports how air pollution can injure the heart and the blood vessels in the short- and long-term.